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THE CEREMONY OF   "THE TABLE LODGE"

The Electric Lodge No. 495 presented an enactment of a "Table Lodge" at the Central Masonic Temple 908 Main Street East, on the night of Monday the 25th June 2001.    It was the second Annual presentation of this ritual at the C.M.T. and was thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance.   

It is proposed to offer this presentation on subsequent yearly intervals, to enlarge upon the enactment of a 18th Century "Table Lodge Ritual" and would take place on the actual anniversary of the St. John the Baptist on the night of the 24th June.  

Any  future presentations of this Ritual would be taking place in the Hamilton Masonic Centre, 2 Queen Street, South, Hamilton Ontario. 

The observance of Masonic Festivals,  such as the Feasts of the Holy St's. John,  is one of the noble old traditions of our Craft that had been allowed to fall into disuse during the Twentieth Century. The earliest "Ritual" of the French Table Lodge was long and elaborate., but, in a modified form,  a similar ceremony was then used in England.    Traditionally, Freemasonry has two great festivals.  The Feast
of St. John the Evangelist on December 27th And St. John the Baptist on June 24th.       

The Summer festival was an ideal time for a called meeting of the Lodge for a Degree and, particularly the Entered Apprentice degree.  This would be followed in the dining room by a Table Lodge where the new apprenticed Mason would be admitted immediately into rich Masonic fellowship.   The brethren  know that the use of the word refreshment in the Masonic Ritual does not necessarily mean one of eating and drinking.  A simple rest,calling off in the middle of a long lodge session is refreshment, but generally the Brethren take their refreshment after the tiled Lodge.

In the earlier speculative usage, during the 1700's, they sometimes ate, smoked and drank during the course of ceremonious work.  At a Table Lodge, which were then general, the Brethren sat round a table, sometimes of horseshoe pattern, and they enjoyed a drink and a smoke while they worked the old lectures,  which actually were catechisms.    Questions being asked by the Master in the chair and answered by the Brethren one by one.   It can be well understood, that in thoseTable Lodges, labour and refreshment were so closely intermixed, that the Junior Warden's injunction to cease from refreshment and go to labour, or vice versa, was a real and intimate order.   The Custom of Toasting  became a tradition at Masonic Feasts and dinners to drink a nunber of toasts, but there seems no good reason to suppose that all the possible toasts should be worked through on every occasion. There is a list, or calendar, with the correct sequence but the matter is at the discretion of the Master and he will have regard to the circumstances and the presence of any particular masonic personage.

The toasts offered at the Table Lodge Ritual, were:    To the Queen and the Craft.  To the Grand Master. To the Holy Saints John.  To the Memory of our departed Brethren.   To our Visiting Brethren. To our Table Lodge.   and, To all Freemasons wheresoever dispersed.    

When drinking a MasonicToast.     The holding out of a glass of wine to drink a friends health is said to have sprung from a Greek custom of handing the glass of wine to the person toasted,  with the salutation, "This to thee" Some such practice is the likely origin of some or all of the expressive movements of the glass that have accompanied toast drinking throughout the ages and which,in a form peculiar to the Craft,  both with glass and without it, are part and parcel of the drinking of a Masonic toast.     The significant movement of hand and glass   (which reminds the Entered Apprentice of a communication made to him in the ritual,  soon after the light dawned upon him). The tradition of the ceremony of the Toasts made use of fascinating nomenclature.

From the moment the "Table Lodge"  was opened, everything assumed names associated with the military. Thus:      Glasses became Cannons.      A bottle became a Barrel.      Wine became Red powder. Water became White powder.      After drinking the toast, the glass was brought down to the table, in unison, making a noise which was then called Firing.    Whether Wine or Water,  the beverage was often referred to as ammunition.      Each member had a glass  (Cannon)  and a bottle  (Barrel)  at his place.

If you would generally like to pass comment on the subject of a Table Lodge.    Please feel free to contact me at:    Tel: 905-662-9222 Fax at the same number.    Email to:  Desmond Washer.